With the start of Yom Kippur we take a look at the best Jewish basketball players of all-time.
HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: From Schayes to Stoudemire, Jewish ballers have always been an important part of the game.Read More

It’s not a mass exodus although notable players are taking off to become international ballers. As this is happening, some fans were saying that the NBA is in better shape than the NFL. Uh how so? Are you oblivious? The NFL is about to reach an agreement to end the lockout. Where is the NBA? I’m not even sure if they are even negotiating right now. The players and owners are too far apart. There are some owners against owners. As a result, the players are leaving.

The Lakers signed guard Steve Blake this summer, an addition that will likely help give veteran Derek Fisher some rest. Andy Kamenetzky of ESPNLosAngeles.com writes that the Lakers may have finally found an option to start over Fisher.

HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: The Los Angeles Lakers are expecting Derek Fisher to pass the baton to Steve Blake.

After all, Fisher is in his late thirties. Blake is an established pro, with a reputation for tenacity, intelligence, and feistiness.

Problem is, D-Fish' is a purple-and-gold cult hero, defying age with clutch shots and heady play.

For instance, Jordan Farmar and Javaris Crittenton were tabbed to replace the veteran. Both are with different teams, while Fisher - after much outcry - was re-signed this summer.

Blake is a different breed, though. In December of 2007, he turned the Portland Trail Blazers' season around by participating in a practice that was more like Fight Club. He's also been known to train with MMA fighters.

Look for Blake to learn from and eventually replace Fisher. Like B.J. Armstrong replacing John Paxson, and Derek Fisher replacing Ron Harper, there will soon be a new lead guard in Phil Jackson's triple-post system.

And the world champion Lakers will only get stronger after this well-thought out transition.

Former Los Angeles Lakers guard Jordan Farmar has agreed to a three-year, $12-million deal with the New Jersey Nets, his agent, Arn Tellem, confirmed to ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher on Sunday night.

"Jordan will be an excellent complement to Devin Harris in the backcourt," Nets president Rod Thorn said in a statement released by the team. "He comes to the Nets with championship pedigree, which will prove to be invaluable to his teammates."

Many have written Jordan Farmar off as a journeyman guard because he had mostly mixed results during his four seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers.

This would be a mistake.

Farmar is just 23 years old. In New Jersey, he’ll get consistent minutes behind and next to Devin Harris. In New Jersey, he’ll get be tutored by demanding Coach Avery Johnson, a championship winning point guard with the San Antonio Spurs.

This will help the former UCLA star maximize his considerable skill-set. For instance, Farmar is one of the NBA`s fastest players, and Johnson will teach him to better use his quicks to control tempo.

The Nets – even though, they struck out on the summer’s top free agents – are having a solid summer. They’ve signed many young free agents to cost effective contracts.

For instance, Travis Outlaw - a talented, versatile player - inked a five year, $35 million pact; Johan Petro is an ideal back-up to budding star Brook Lopez, especially at $3 million per year; and Farmar, who will likely develop into a top reserve table-setter, will earn a reasonable $4 million per annum.

"Count me in," Jackson said in a statement. "After a couple weeks of deliberation, it is time to get back to the challenge of putting together a team that can defend its title in the 2010-11 season. It'll be the last stand for me, and I hope a grand one."

HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: He couldn't pass on the possibility of a three-peat.

After much deliberation, thought, and posturing, Phil Jackson - the Hall of Fame sideline boss - will be back to coach the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Lakers.

Jackson's return had been complicated by a power struggle in the Lakers' front office and ownership's request he take a reduction on his $12 million per season contract.

Of course, there are lingering issues for Jackson and the Buss clan, who own the Lakers, to settle. For instance, coach and ownership must agree on the size of his pay cut and whether free agents Shannon Brown, Jordan Farmar, and Derek Fisher will be re-signed.

Still, the chance to win three consecutive championships for the fourth time in his career was too much for The Zen to ignore.

Kobe Bryant scored 26 points, Pau Gasol added 17 points and 13 rebounds, and the Los Angeles Lakers emphatically extended the NBA finals to a decisive seventh game with a 89-67 victory over the Boston Celtics in Game 6 on Tuesday night.

HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: Two days ago, Kobe Bryant demanded his teammates 'man up and play'. Well, the Los Angeles Lakers - both individually and collectively - fulfilled his request on Tuesday evening.

The purple-and-gold dominated every aspect of game six, building an early lead through tough defense, infectious hustle, and inspired play. The Celtics never mounted a serious challenge and the Lakers cruised through the second half to an easy win.

The difference between games five and six was obvious: Bryant had help. Loads of it.

For instance, co-star Pau Gasol had a double-double, but - best of all - the Spaniard imposed his will down-low; Ron Artest hit shots; Lamar Odom stopped complaining about the flu and got active; and Shannon Brown, Jordan Farmar, and Sasha Vujacic provided energy off the bench.

Two specific plays stand out. First, Artest was so confident he over-dribbled and still sank an improbable fall-back shot. Second, Farmar out-hustled Celtic Rajon Rondo for a loose ball by sacrificing his body and diving on the floor.

Bryant aside, no Laker looked confident or sacrificed in game-five.

As a group, L.A. played superb defense. They challenged every shot. They provided helped. They got stops. They won the battle of the boards. And they held the Celtics to 67 points, the second lowest total in NBA Finals history.

Meanwhile, Boston resembled a team with a one game cushion. Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Rajon Rondo were outplayed by the Lakers' big guns. The bench - which had been so effective earlier in the series - looked awestruck.

Of course, Kendrick Perkins' injury didn't help. The rough and tumble post sprained his knee early in the first quarter and never returned. His status for game-seven is unknown.

With or without Perkins, the green-and-white must re-establish their presence in the paint and show greater urgency on Thursday.

In fact, the Celtics should consider Bryant's advice and 'man up'. Or the Lakers will win what has become a one game, do-or-die NBA Finals and will hoist the Larry O'Brien championship trophy.

Got thoughts on game six? And what's your prediction for Thursday's game-seven?

The Phoenix Suns got a decisive performance from their hustling bench to overcome Kobe Bryant's 38-point, 10-assist performance and beat the Lakers 115-106 in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals on Tuesday night.

A series that looked like a Lakers' breeze a week ago is all even at two apiece heading to Game 5 on Thursday night in Los Angeles.

The Suns reserves, considered an advantage entering the series but largely ineffective through three games, outscored their Lakers counterparts 54-20.

The surprising Suns have tied the Western Conference Finals by using a zone defense against the Los Angeles Lakers. There are several reasons the defending world champions have struggled against this unorthodox defense:

-Zone is rarely used in the NBA, especially come playoff time. In fact, for decades zone was banned because it was believed to limit the players' ability to showcase individual talent. The purple-and-gold is out of sync against a defense they've rarely seen.

-The Lakers lack a true point guard. A classic, pass-first table setter can direct the offense and find the holes against a zone. Too often, Shannon Brown, Jordan Farmar, and Derek Fisher settled for outside shots and allowed teammates to become perimeter players.

-Bryant had a strong game, hitting 15-of-22 shots for 38 points and adding 10 assists and 7 rebounds. However, he couldn't get clean looks against the zone for most of the fourth quarter and Pau Gasol struggled.

-The zone forced the Lakers to play at the Suns' breakneck pace. No team - not even the great Lakers - beats Seven Seconds Or Less when the game becomes a track meet.

The Suns' zone has made the Western Conference Finals a best-of-three affair. The Lakers must adjust to the zone or another team will be hoisting the Larry O'Brien trophy in June.

What do you think of Phoenix's zone? Get at us in the comment box below with thoughts.